Sunday, August 2, 2015

Warrant Issued for Suspect in Memphis Police Officer's Death

The Memphis Police Department (MPD) has identified the gunman who killed officer Sean Bolton, 33, on Saturday night. A warrant for first-degree murder has been issued for 29-year-old Tremaine Wilbourn. Wilbourn remains at large, and a police spokesperson issued an email that said he is "considered to be armed and dangerous."

On Saturday night at 9:18 p.m., the MPD received a call from one of their own radios after a citizen found Bolton and used his radio to call for help. Bolton was shot multiple times and later died at the Regional Medical Center.

The MPD has issued new information explaining that Bolton had approached a 2002 Mercedes-Benz that was parked illegally on Summerland Avenue in Parkway Village. A passenger in the vehicle, later identified as Wilbourn, confronted Bolton. A brief struggle ensued between the two, and Wilbourn allegedly shot Bolton multiple times. The driver of the vehicle and the suspect fled the scene, but the driver later turned himself into police. He was released without charge.

Police searched the vehicle after the driver turned himself in and found 1.7 grams of pot and some digital scales. They believe Bolton interrupted a drug deal, and police are unsure if any drugs were removed from the vehicle after the car fled the scene.

Wilbourn is currently on supervised release by the U.S. Western District Court for a 121-month sentence for bank robbery.

”As I have said many times, to lose a loved one or a family member is a horrific event. Last night, we lost not only an officer, but a great man, a dedicated servant to our community, and a family member,” said MPD Director Toney Armstrong in a statement.

The U.S. Marshall Service is offering a $10,000 reward for the arrest of Wilbourn. Anyone with information on Wilbourn's whereabouts is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 528-CASH.

Bolton was hired by the MPD in 2010 and worked at Mt. Moriah station. He graduated from White Station High School in 1999. He was veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and served in Iraq.